(Lanka-e-News - 20.Sep.2017, 11.45PM) The 20 th amendment to the constitution which the government sought to introduce with a view to enact laws to hold elections for all provinces on the same day based on the government ‘s pledge made during the last elections , according to the Supreme court should be passed by a two third majority and a people’s referendum . The Supreme Court (SC) had communicated this to parliament through the speaker on the 19 th.

The 20 th amendment to the constitution was sought in order to hold the Provincial Council (PC))elections in all provinces on the same day.

The official term of Sabaragamuwa , North Central and Eastern provinces are scheduled to end this month. If the 20 th amendment cannot be steered through , and if the PC elections of all provinces are to be held on the same day , the other PCs shall also be dissolved with the consent of the chief ministers and governors of those other provinces , on the day the term of the above mentioned three provinces is terminating.

According to the provincial council Act , the president cannot dissolve a provincial council before its term is over. That can only be done on a resolution of the PC , and by the chief minister informing the provincial governor. But it is doubtful whether the other PCs would agree to dissolve the councils before their official terms are over, because it is the pro Rajapakse groups that wield power in a majority of those PCs.

Meanwhile, the president recently said , the PC elections shall be conducted along mixed electoral and proportional representation lines based on the new election system that was passed in respect of PCs.

While the government is moving heaven and earth to conduct the PC elections in a day pursuant to its election promise , it is a pity the bankrupt opponents are accusing the government that it is getting ready to postpone elections in fear.

All these are only pointers that changing the outmoded systems to introduce new ones beneficial to the country is no easy task.